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MOLINE, Illinois – Deere & Company has fully acquired Auteq Telematica, an onboard software and computer company located in Sao Paulo, Brazil. Deere had previously created a joint venture with Auteq in 2009 to provide integrated, innovative technologies and solutions for sugarcane production.

The acquisition provides John Deere additional specialization in the sugarcane market and further capability to develop products and services to help customers leverage the data produced by onboard computers in equipment used for planting, crop care and harvesting in sugarcane production. In addition to software, Auteq also specializes in hardware support.

“The acquisition of Auteq is another step to solidify our growth strategy in the sugarcane segment,” said Paulo Herrmann, president of John Deere Brasil. “This action also demonstrates John Deere’s continued commitment to development of Brazilian agriculture.”

Herrmann said the acquisition strengthens John Deere’s ability to provide customers with integrated solutions that enhance the performance and productivity of sugarcane plantations.

“Because the sugarcane industry is vertically integrated, it is important for John Deere to offer solutions to manage data captured by agricultural equipment to allow for the connection from the field to the sugar mill,” Herrmann said.

While Deere has fully acquired the company, Deere said the business will continue to operate under the Auteq brand name. In Brazil, John Deere offers the sugarcane market two harvester models recognized as market leaders for high performance, savings, durability and harvesting quality.

BALTIMORE, Md., – Lockheed Martin [NYSE: LMT] and teammate Concord Blue announced a new contract to build a power generation facility that will provide a new, clean energy source to meet the needs of 5,000 homes and businesses in Herten, Germany.

The five-megawatt power generation facility will transform forestry waste to power using Concord Blue’s Reformer® technology, which converts waste to energy through advanced gasification. Under this engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) contract, Lockheed Martin will provide overall project management, engineering and design, procurement and construction for the new facility.

“Lockheed Martin is excited to manufacture the Concord Blue technology, which advances how the world addresses clean energy and waste reduction challenges,” said Mauricio “Mo” Vargas, bioenergy lead for Lockheed Martin’s Mission Systems and Training business. “The Herten facility will demonstrate the accessibility of innovative energy technology to global customers.”

Concord Blue’s Reformer technology is feedstock-flexible, converting nearly any kind of organic waste into clean, sustainable energy. Unlike other available waste-to-energy processes, Concord Blue’s unique process employs a patented technology called steam thermolysis to convert waste material using heat transfer instead of incineration.

“Located at the Hydrogen Competence Center in Herten, this Concord Blue Reformer [CBR] will be a landmark in the region that receives international interest,” said Concord Blue’s founder and CEO Charlie Thannhaeuser. “This project represents the sixth commercial CBR, a testament not only to the technological quality of our waste-to-energy solution, but also to the economic viability.”

In 2013, Lockheed Martin and Concord Blue signed an agreement to develop an advanced waste conversion system to address waste disposal, energy security and climate control issues through clean energy production. In Oct. 2014, Lockheed Martin was selected as the exclusive manufacturing provider of the Concord Blue Reformer.

Concord Blue’s unique technology benefits the environment, fulfilling all international, Environmental Protection Agency and European regulations for renewable energy and air emissions. Concord Blue operates globally, with offices in the United States, Germany, India and Dubai.
Lockheed Martin takes a comprehensive approach to solving global energy and climate challenges, delivering solutions in the areas of energy efficiency, smart energy management, alternative power generation and climate monitoring. The company brings high-level capabilities in complex systems integration, project management, information technology, cyber security, and advanced manufacturing techniques to help address these challenges. Today, Lockheed Martin is partnering with customers and investing talent in clean, secure, and smart energy – enabling global security, a strong economic future and climate protection for future generations.

Headquartered in Bethesda, Maryland, Lockheed Martin is a global security and aerospace company that employs approximately 113,000 people worldwide and is principally engaged in the research, design, development, manufacture, integration and sustainment of advanced technology systems, products and services. The Corporation’s net sales for 2013 were $45.4 billion.

WASHINGTON – At a forum marking the first anniversary of its Minorities in Energy Initiative (MIE), the Energy Department today announced the launch of its new Industry Partners Network. The network is comprised of energy-focused companies and trade associations joined by a common mission to increase engagement of minority and tribal communities in the energy sector through science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) education, workforce development, energy economic development and climate change policy and awareness. Industry partners have signed a Memorandum of Understanding with DOE agreeing to contribute toward making measurable advancements in these areas.

“The Minorities in Energy Initiative seeks to inspire underrepresented Americans to pursue careers in energy – and support their advancement into leadership positions,” said Secretary Moniz. “Careers in energy are providing an important pathway for economic mobility, as President Obama says, a ladder of opportunity for those who want to pursue the American Dream. That is why I am committed to promoting diversity and inclusion at the Department of Energy and to working with our new Industry Partner Network to promote diversity in the entire energy sector. It is critical for developing American talent and strengthening our economy and our society.”

Secretary Moniz, recognizing the opportunity to involve all of America’s diverse communities in the fast-growing energy field, launched the Minorities in Energy Initiative last year to engage more minorities in energy through science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education, energy economic development and climate change policy.

In its first year, the MIE recruited nearly 40 Minorities in Energy Ambassadors and Champions, senior leaders from industry, government, academia, and nonprofits who are actively working for inclusion, access, and engagement by minorities in the energy sector.

At today’s forum, attended by industry leaders, Broderick Johnson, White House Cabinet Affairs Secretary and Chair of My Brother’s Keeper Initiative, Congressman Bobby Rush of Illinois and Congresswoman Eddie Bernice Johnson of Texas, the Department of Energy announced the Industry Partner Network and also released a new Strategic Plan for MIE, which can be found here.

“Energy powers our lives and it will power our future. Our Minorities in Energy Industry Partners will work with the Department to help make that energy future inclusive of all Americans,” said Dot Harris, Director of the Office of Economic Impact and Diversity at the Department of Energy and leader of the MIE Initiative. “This is just the beginning; we look forward to an ever growing number of industry partners to join us in this endeavor.”

Industry Partners will leverage their professional networks, expertise, and the financial resources of the private sector to build the capacity of minorities to compete for work and business opportunities in the energy sector.

The MIE Industry Partners Network includes:

• AREVA

• BP America

• Hispanics in Energy

• Lockheed Martin

• National Center for American Indian Enterprise Development

• Shell Oil Company

• WGL Holdings

SHANGHAI, — Johnson Controls is introducing a new technology in China to meet the growing demand for central heating that does not emit harmful pollutants. The York Dual Steam Turbine (YDST) heat pump recycles surplus heat from industrial or power plants into higher temperature hot water that can be used to operate large central heating plants. Compared to traditional boiler heating, the YDST can reduce coal consumption by up to 30 percent while supplying the same amount of heat.

“Urbanization and the government’s efforts to promote sustainable development are driving demand in China for more energy efficient technologies and solutions,” said Soren Bjerg, vice president and managing director, Johnson Controls Building Efficiency, Asia. “This is a real opportunity for us to expand our presence in an important market and use our expertise and innovation to address a growing need to reduce emissions.”

This technology is an important innovation for the Chinese market where the government has made a major commitment in its Five-Year Plan to reduce pollution from the burning of fossil fuels. The plan uses industrial surplus heat as a major source of urban heating.

The capacity and versatility of the YDST make it ideal for large-scale central heating plants.

It is the first centrifugal heat pump – driven by a steam turbine, not electric – that supplies over 100 megawatts of heat per heat pump system, doubling the current capacity available.
It can accept waste hot water as low as 50oF to 120oF and increase the temperature up to 140oF to over 200oF.
The demand for central heating is estimated to grow significantly in China over the next five years due to rapid urbanization, particularly in northern China. Johnson Controls, a global multi-industrial company, has successfully implemented a heat recovery solution at a large northeast Chinese municipal heating facility. It has saved more than US$1.2 million while alleviating the need to burn 9,200 tons of coal in the last heating season, the equivalent to removing 4,000 passenger vehicles from the road for a year.

Recently, the company opened a US$35 million expansion of its manufacturing and research and development center in Wuxi, China. The campus and its engineering center is now one of Johnson Controls’ largest research and development centers in the world for building solutions for heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems, as well as industrial refrigeration solutions. The campus will spearhead continuing innovation on heat recovery for the global market.

About Johnson Controls
Johnson Controls is a global diversified technology and industrial leader serving customers in more than 150 countries. Our 170,000 employees create quality products, services and solutions to optimize energy and operational efficiencies of buildings; lead-acid automotive batteries and advanced batteries for hybrid and electric vehicles; and interior systems for automobiles. Our commitment to sustainability dates back to our roots in 1885, with the invention of the first electric room thermostat. Through our growth strategies and by increasing market share we are committed to delivering value to shareholders and making our customers successful. In 2014, Corporate Responsibility Magazine recognized Johnson Controls as the #12 company in its annual “100 Best Corporate Citizens” list. For additional information, please visit http://www.johnsoncontrols.com or follow @johnsoncontrols on Twitter.

IRVING, Texas & HAARLEM, Netherlands – Fluor Corporation (NYSE: FLR) announced today that IXAS Zuid-Oost B.V., a special purpose company including Fluor, Ballast Nedam, Heijmans Capital and 3i Infrastructure plc, has reached financial close for the A9 public-private-partnership infrastructure project in the Netherlands. The project includes the design, build, management, maintenance and financing of the existing and new infrastructure of the A9 motorway between Diemen and Holendrecht in the Netherlands. Fluor will book its share of the US$865 million project in the fourth quarter of 2014.

“Fluor looks forward to working with its partners in executing the reconstruction and expansion of the A9 motorway in the Netherlands,” said Terry Towle, president of Fluor’s Infrastructure business line. “Fluor has been operating through its major operations center in the Netherlands for more than 50 years, and we intend to bring the full strength of the company’s resources to this important transportation project near Amsterdam.”

The project work includes the bridge over the river Gaasp, the road surface on the A9 Gaasperdammerweg and the construction of an approximately three kilometre cut-and-cover tunnel. The A9 Gaasperdammerweg project is the third section of the Schiphol-Amsterdam-Almere (SAA) road expansion.

With this milestone, the required project financing comprised of debt and equity, is secured. The short-term debt of €140 million and half of the long term debt of around €410 million has been made available to the project by BNG Bank, DZ BANK, ING, KBC, SMBC and Société Générale. The European Investment Bank will provide the other half of the long-term debt. The equity investment will be made by the four shareholders of IXAS Zuid-Oost B.V., with an equal share each.

The project has a total nominal value of approximately US$865 million including a 20-year management and maintenance period after the new infrastructure becomes available. Fluor, Ballast Nedam and Heijmans will participate in the construction and operations phase at an equal one-third share. The original contract with Rijkswaterstaat, the Ministry of Infrastructure and the Environment, was signed in September 2014.

About Fluor Corporation
Fluor Corporation (NYSE: FLR) is a global engineering and construction firm that designs and builds some of the world’s most complex projects. The company creates and delivers innovative solutions for its clients in engineering, procurement, fabrication, construction, maintenance and project management on a global basis. For more than a century, Fluor has served clients in the energy, chemicals, government, industrial, infrastructure, mining and power market sectors. Headquartered in Irving, Texas, Fluor ranks 109 on the FORTUNE 500 list. With more than 40,000 employees worldwide, the company’s revenue for 2013 was $27.4 billion. Visit Fluor at www.fluor.com and follow on Twitter @FluorCorp.

About Ballast Nedam
Ballast Nedam targets its strategic focus at successfully acquiring and carrying out integrated projects in the working areas of housing, mobility, energy and nature in the Netherlands and internationally. We will expand related activities in niche markets and work on projects where we can make a difference for the client with our expert knowledge and skills. Ballast Nedam applies a differentiated market approach for its three divisions. With further industrialization of the building process through the use of innovative modular concepts and standardization Ballast Nedam creates enduring quality at the lowest possible life cycle costs for its clients and society. The Ballast Nedam share is included in the Amsterdam Small Cap Index (AScX) of NYSE Euronext. www.ballast-nedam.com.

About Heijmans
Heijmans is a listed company that combines activities in the fields of property development, residential building, non-residential, roads and civil. Heijmans is active in the Netherlands, Belgium and Germany. Our focus on integrated projects and quality execution enables us to create added value for our clients. Heijmans realises integrated projects for major clients such as companies and public sector bodies, as well as homes for investors and private home buyers. With more than 7,100 employees and more than €820 million in revenues in the first half of 2014, we are building the spatial contours of tomorrow.

For more information, please visit www.heijmans.nl.

About 3i Infrastructure plc
3i Infrastructure plc is a Jersey-incorporated, closed-ended investment company, listed on the London Stock Exchange and regulated by the Jersey Financial Services Commission. The Company is a long-term investor in infrastructure businesses and assets. Its strategy is to maintain a balanced portfolio of investments in order to deliver stable returns to its shareholders, through a mix of income and capital appreciation. Its objective is to provide shareholders with a total return of 10% per annum and, within that overall objective, it targets an annual distribution yield of 5.5%. The Company’s market focus is on core economic infrastructure in developed economies, principally in Europe, in the utilities and transportation sectors, investing in operational businesses which generate long-term yield and can provide capital growth. It also has investments in social infrastructure and is building its exposure to primary PPP and renewable energy projects. 3i Investments plc, a wholly-owned subsidiary of 3i Group plc, is authorised and regulated in the UK by the Financial Conduct Authority and acts as Investment Adviser to 3i Infrastructure plc.

Bosch and Siemens agreed yesterday that Robert Bosch GmbH would acquire Siemens’ 50 percent stake in the joint venture BSH Bosch und Siemens Hausgeräte GmbH (BSH). The transaction has been approved by the Board of Management and Supervisory Board of Bosch and the Managing Board and Supervisory Board of Siemens. The purchase price will total €3 billion. In addition, Siemens and Bosch will each receive from BSH an additional distribution of €250 million before the transaction is completed.

The transaction, which still requires regulatory approval, will probably be completed in the first half of calendar year 2015. BSH will then become a wholly owned subsidiary of the Bosch Group. Under the terms of the agreement, BSH will also be allowed to produce and market household appliances under the Siemens brand over the long term.

“BSH has been a successful and profitable company for many years. Strategically and technologically, it is a perfect match for the Bosch Group,” said Dr. Volkmar Denner, chairman of the board of management of Robert Bosch GmbH. Like the Bosch Group, BSH pursues a long-term, innovation-oriented strategy, is internationally positioned, and committed to good corporate citizenship.

“The sale of our BSH stake is part of our drive to continue focusing very intensively on our core business. In a constantly strong partnership over the last few decades, Bosch and Siemens have made BSH a successful leader in the area of household appliances. By uniting continuity with new perspectives, I’m convinced that Bosch’s complete acquisition of BSH will offer BSH’s customers, distribution partners and employees a very solid and sustainable structure,” said Siemens CFO Ralf P. Thomas. “The negotiations with Bosch were always constructive and based on a spirit of mutual trust,” he added.

In 1967, Bosch and Siemens combined their activities in the area of household appliances to create the joint venture BSH. Since then, BSH has become Europe’s largest producer of household appliances and a world-leader in its field, with revenue of about €10.5 billion in 2013 and around 50,000 employees worldwide. The BHS product portfolio comprises a wide range of household appliances – including everything from stoves, ovens and extractor hoods to dishwashers, washing machines, clothes dryers and combined refrigerator-freezers to small household devices such as vacuum cleaners, coffee machines, water kettles, clothes irons and hairdryers.

“BSH fits in very well with our guiding strategic principle: Technology for Life,” explained Denner. With its products and services, the household appliance producer wants to leverage intelligent technologies, high levels of comfort and user-friendliness in order to make the lives of people around the world easier and more enjoyable, while conserving natural resources with the help of highly efficient devices.
Technologically, there are also opportunities for intensified cooperation between Bosch and BSH in the future-oriented field of the Internet of Things and Services. “Employing Smart Home concepts, the use of household appliances can be made even more energy-efficient in the future, while user-friendliness will further increase,” said Uwe Raschke, the member of the Board of Management of Robert Bosch GmbH who is responsible for the Consumer Goods business sector to which BSH currently belongs. As an equally owned joint venture, BHS is not currently consolidated. Instead, its net income is included in profit figures on a pro rata basis.

“With Bosch’s acquisition of all the shares of BSH, we’ll have a strong owner in the future – an owner with a long-term orientation and one who will support us in our further strategic development,” emphasized BSH CEO Dr. Karsten Ottenberg. To achieve its goal of doubling revenue by 2025, BSH will increase investments in research and development as well as in its brands. “After more than 45 years of good partnership with Siemens, Bosch offers – through the acquisition – a long-term perspective for BSH employees,” said Raschke.

Siemens AG (Berlin and Munich) is a global powerhouse in electronics and electrical engineering, operating in the fields of industry, energy and healthcare as well as providing infrastructure solutions, primarily for cities and metropolitan areas. For over 165 years, Siemens has stood for technological excellence, innovation, quality, reliability and internationality. The company is one of the world’s largest providers of environmental technologies. Around 43 percent of its total revenue stems from green products and solutions. In fiscal 2013, which ended on September 30, 2013, revenue from continuing operations totaled €74.4 billion and income from continuing operations €4.2 billion. At the end of September 2013, Siemens had around 362,000 employees worldwide on the basis of continuing operations. Further information is available on the Internet at http://www.siemens.com.

The Bosch Group is a leading global supplier of technology and services. In 2013, its roughly 281,000 associates generated sales of 46.1 billion euros. (NB: Due to a change in accounting policies, the 2013 figures can only be compared to a limited extent with the 2012 figures). Its operations are divided into four business sectors: Automotive Technology, Industrial Technology, Consumer Goods, and Energy and Building Technology. The Bosch Group comprises Robert Bosch GmbH and its more than 360 subsidiaries and regional companies in some 50 countries. If its sales and service partners are included, then Bosch is represented in roughly 150 countries. This worldwide development, manufacturing, and sales network is the foundation for further growth. In 2013, the Bosch Group invested some 4.5 billion euros in research and development and applied for some 5,000 patents. This is an average of 20 patents per day. The Bosch Group’s products and services are designed to fascinate, and to improve the quality of life by providing solutions which are both innovative and beneficial. In this way, the company offers technology worldwide that is “Invented for life.” The company was set up in Stuttgart in 1886 by Robert Bosch (1861-1942) as “Workshop for Precision Mechanics and Electrical Engineering.” The special ownership structure of Robert Bosch GmbH guarantees the entrepreneurial freedom of the Bosch Group, making it possible for the company to plan over the long term and to undertake significant up-front investments in the safeguarding of its future. 92 percent of the share capital of Robert Bosch GmbH is held by Robert Bosch Stiftung GmbH, a charitable foundation. The majority of voting rights are held by Robert Bosch Industrietreuhand KG, an industrial trust. The entrepreneurial ownership functions are carried out by the trust. The remaining shares are held by the Bosch family and by Robert Bosch GmbH. Additional information is available online at www.bosch.com, www.bosch-press.com and http://twitter.com/BoschPresse

MINNEAPOLIS & REHOVOT, Israel — Sept. 10, 2014 — Stratasys Ltd. (Nasdaq:SSYS), a global leader of 3D printing and additive manufacturing solutions, announced today its partnership with FirstBuild. The partnership combines co-creation and micromanufacturing to build and commercialize the next evolution of various GE appliances and accessories by leveraging 3D printing, and other advanced manufacturing processes in an open innovation approach to engineering.
GE Appliances, a subsidiary of General Electric Company (NYSE:GE), in collaboration with Local Motors, established FirstBuild, a new model for the appliance industry that allows concepts to rapidly reach the marketplace. Individuals design and submit ideas, and a community of home enthusiasts, designers, engineers and makers tests out the ideas and creates the products using Stratasys 3D printing technology. FirstBuild will then manufacture and deliver the next generation of major home appliances to customers.
“The prospects of tapping into the hardware innovation scene are very promising,” says Gilad Gans, Stratasys President of North America. “This is an outstanding opportunity to revolutionize the way things are made. This is an open-innovation environment where FirstBuild users will use our cutting-edge technology to accelerate product development phases and create real products.”
Stratasys 3D printers will go to work in the FirstBuild Microfactory located in Louisville, Ky., which is where ideas will come to grow into real products. 3D printing along with woodworking, welding and other tools, will be used to test and build the initial products. The microfactory will produce products and sell them through FirstBuild’s website and retail store, located at the microfactory and through traditional retail channels.
“Incorporating Stratasys’ leading additive manufacturing technology into our microfactory capabilities provides an enormous benefit in both product development and production by saving us time, money and resources,” said Natarajan “Venkat” Venkatakrishnan, Director of FirstBuild and Director of Advanced Technologies for GE Appliances. “It will also give the University of Louisville engineering students and others who work on this equipment at FirstBuild a significant advantage as they pursue jobs in technical fields.”
Watch Venkat, Director of FirstBuild, discuss the new partnership between FirstBuild and Stratasys to rapidly prototype a new generation of home appliances.
Stratasys Ltd. (Nasdaq:SSYS), headquartered in Minneapolis, Minnesota and Rehovot, Israel, is a leading global provider of 3D printing and additive manufacturing solutions. The company’s patented FDM®, PolyJet™, and WDM™ 3D Printing technologies produce prototypes and manufactured goods directly from 3D CAD files or other 3D content. Systems include 3D printers for idea development, prototyping and direct digital manufacturing. Stratasys subsidiaries include MakerBot and Solidscape, and the company operates a digital-manufacturing service, comprising RedEye, Harvest Technologies and Solid Concepts. Stratasys has more than 2,500 employees, holds over 600 granted or pending additive manufacturing patents globally, and has received more than 25 awards for its technology and leadership. Online at: www.stratasys.com or http://blog.stratasys.com.

FirstBuild, a partnership between GE and Local Motors, the open-source hardware innovator, harnesses the expertise and creativity of an online and offline global community that is dedicated to conceiving, engineering and building the next generation of major home appliances. It enables engineers, designers, scientists and home enthusiasts to participate in the development of breakthrough appliances and solve deep engineering challenges. Participants will identify market needs, directly participate in the product development and watch via social media as ideas speed from mind to market at the FirstBuild Microfactory in Louisville, Ky. To learn more about FirstBuild, visit: http://www.FirstBuild.com/.

FDM, Stratasys and Objet are registered trademarks, and Fused Deposition Modeling and PolyJet are trademarks of Stratasys Ltd. and or its subsidiaries or affiliates.

NORWALK, Conn. — New programs from Xerox make it easier and faster for channel partners to generate recurring revenue and create “stickiness” with their clients. Channel partners can now offer customers more ways to benefit from managed print services (MPS) with Xerox PageConnect Services. Through remote management of network printers and multifunction printers (MFPs), clients can control costs and improve productivity regardless of the manufacturer. And they avoid time-consuming activities related to device management with proactive alerts that signal toner and ink replenishment or service needs.

PageConnect also provides historical and predictive data that partners can offer their clientele. An online QuickQuote tool calculates current print costs and can help forecast future spend while the Xerox Business Intelligence Portal provides performance and service metrics, allowing service providers to recommend cost-saving adjustments.

Partners can capitalize on Xerox’s MPS industry knowledge to increase their revenue pipeline. Sales tools, marketing materials and pricing models come with a dedicated PageConnect support staff and a streamlined training program.

Free color printer opens up new channel growth
The new Xerox Small Office Savings Plan is an innovative way for service providers to differentiate themselves and grow their base. The plan is simple: partners offer their customers a free Xerox color printer; and in turn, customers agree to pay a predictable monthly amount used exclusively for supplies.

The printers available through the program include the Xerox Phaser® 6500, 6600 and 7100 or the Xerox ColorQube® 8570. Free on-site service and support are included with each device – a value up to $300 a year.

Customers can place their supplies order online and products are shipped directly to the office against the user’s account credit. Since the monthly supplies charge is the same each month, customers can more easily manage their cash flows. The 12- or 24-month plans can be changed or discontinued without penalty.

Available for Xerox channel partners, the Small Office Savings Plan provides an innovative way to improve margin (versus a traditional sale on the hardware), a guaranteed supplies annuity stream and requires minimal training.

Availability and Pricing
Xerox PageConnect Services are available immediately; the Xerox Small Office Savings Plan is available Sept. 15 with the following monthly charges: Phaser 6500 at $59; Phaser 6600 at $99; Xerox ColorQube 8570 at $109; and Phaser 7100 at $149.

About Xerox
Since the invention of Xerography more than 75 years ago, the people of Xerox (NYSE: XRX) have helped businesses simplify the way work gets done. Today, we are the global leader in business process and document management, helping organizations of any size be more efficient so they can focus on their real business. Headquartered in Norwalk, Conn., we have more than 140,000 Xerox employees and do business in more than 180 countries, providing business services, printing equipment and software for commercial and government organizations. Learn more at www.xerox.com.

ARLINGTON, Va.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Sep. 3, 2014– The AES Corporation (NYSE: AES) announced today that it has, through one of its subsidiaries, entered into a strategic partnership with the Estrella-Linda Group (“Estrella-Linda”), an investor group based in the Dominican Republic. Under this agreement, Estrella-Linda will acquire an 8% minority interest in AES’ business in the Dominican Republic for $96 million. The transaction is expected to close in the fourth quarter of 2014 and is subject to customary closing conditions.

“This transaction, at a valuation of $1.2 billion for AES Dominicana, highlights the value of our Dominican assets,” said Andrés Gluski, AES President and Chief Executive Officer. “We believe that Estrella-Linda represents a strong local player and will support our planned expansions, such as upgrading our DPP power plant. AES and Estrella-Linda are committed to bringing affordable, sustainable and reliable energy solutions to the Dominican Republic.”

Estrella-Linda is a consortium of two leading Dominican industrial groups: Estrella and Grupo Linda. The two partners manage diverse businesses, including construction services, cement, agribusiness, metalwork, plastics, textiles, paints, transportation, insurance and media.
AES’ Dominican Republic business consists of an LNG import terminal, a 319 MW combined-cycle gas-fired plant (Andres), a 236 MW open cycle gas-fired plant with potential expansion of the capacity to 358 MW in combined-cycle mode (DPP), and 50% ownership of a 295 MW coal-fired plant (Itabo). AES first entered the Dominican Republic in 1997.

About AES
The AES Corporation (NYSE: AES) is a Fortune 200 global power company. We provide affordable, sustainable energy to 20 countries through our diverse portfolio of distribution businesses as well as thermal and renewable generation facilities. Our workforce of 17,800 people is committed to operational excellence and meeting the world’s changing power needs. Our 2013 revenues were $16 billion and we own and manage $40 billion in total assets. To learn more, please visit www.aes.com. Follow AES on Twitter @TheAESCorp.

Downers Grove, IL, – Dover (NYSE: DOV) today announced that its Energy segment has acquired The WellMark Company headquartered in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. WellMark is a leading manufacturer of valves, instrumentation and chemical injection pumps serving the oil and gas industry. Wellmark products are primarily used at oil and gas well sites for dehydration, compression, and chemical injection applications.

The company also announced that WellMark will be merged with Norriseal, a long-standing business within the Energy segment. Norriseal has been delivering quality valve and control products, customer service and technology to the oil and gas markets for nearly 60 years.

Soma Somasundaram, President and CEO of Dover’s Energy segment commented, “The acquisition of WellMark is consistent with our strategy of expanding our offering at the well site. WellMark is a strong strategic fit as it adds complementary products and expands geographic coverage of our valve, chemical injection pump and controls offerings. The addition of WellMark’s product lines to Norriseal’s, along with our recent acquisition of Timberline Manufacturing, underscores our commitment to building customer-focused solutions in these rapidly growing product categories.”

Luis Gomez, WellMark’s CEO said, “This acquisition provides a long-term strategic home for our business, valued customers, key representative relationships, and employees. It enables us to better support our customers with innovative processes in technology, product development and value added services and applications.”

WellMark expects to generate revenue of approximately $55 million in 2014. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed.

About Dover:
Dover is a diversified global manufacturer with annual revenues of $8 billion. We deliver innovative equipment and components, specialty systems and support services through four major operating segments: Energy, Engineered Systems, Fluids, and Refrigeration & Food Equipment. Dover combines global scale with operational agility to lead the markets we serve. Recognized for our entrepreneurial approach for nearly 60 years, our team of 28,000 employees takes an ownership mindset, collaborating with customers to redefine what’s possible. Headquartered in Downers Grove, Illinois, Dover trades on the New York Stock Exchange under “DOV.” Additional information is available at www.dovercorporation.com.

About WellMark:
WellMark is a leading manufacturer of valves, regulators, controls and chemical injection pumps serving the oil and gas industry. Founded in 1981, the company has its headquarters and manufacturing plant in Oklahoma City, OK. The company has had steady growth over the course of its 33 year history, focusing on safety, quality and superior customer service. With presence in all the major oil and gas basins in North America and warehousing inventory in 22 strategically located facilities, it has positioned itself as one of the leaders in the industry. WellMark’s products are used by over 70 of the largest oil and gas production companies in the US and Canada.

London/Rotterdam – Figures released today demonstrate how significant advances in refrigeration technology have resulted in a new generation of ice cream freezer cabinets capable of a 70%* energy reduction.

Unilever scientists have developed hyper efficient point-of-sale freezer technology to replace current models that already deliver industry leading energy reductions of up to 50%. Once rolled out the new model has the potential to deliver savings equivalent to removing half a million cars* from the road network.

Having undergone a complete redesign the futuristic cabinet will not only preserve delicious treats such as Magnum and Cornetto at just the right temperature but deliver ground-breaking energy efficiency alongside increased reliability and ease of use, saving money for retailers everywhere.

Unilever Chief Sustainability Officer, Jeff Seabright comments: “Thanks to the radical approach of our scientists Wall’s ice cream cabinets across the world are driving down energy use while driving up design and innovation standards. As the market leader in ice cream and cabinet refrigeration, the size of the reductions announced coupled with our scale allows us to make a positive difference in reducing environmental impact. Enjoying an ice cream or two in summer is what fond memories are made of. Now that pleasurable experience is enhanced with added climate friendly benefits to broaden those smiles.”

Shoppers from Auckland to Zurich have, perhaps unwittingly, been doing their bit for the environment by selecting a Wall’s ice cream from the familiar red and white cabinets, as R&D Vice President ice cream, Andy Sztehlo explains: “We lead the pack when it comes to ice cream cabinet technology.

“Starting in 2004 we have undergone a journey of continuous improvement, developing our science and technology to create what by some distance is the world’s most efficient ice cream cabinet. The new technology which offers a further 20% improvement could save enough energy to power a quarter of a million homes annually.”**

The cabinet innovation falls under the Unilever Sustainable Living Plan vision of doubling the size of the business while reducing environmental impact and goes hand-in-hand with efforts to remove the last remaining Hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs) reliant freezers from use. Since 2004, using its position as the leading ice cream producer, Unilever has led these efforts, using an environment friendly hydrocarbon refrigerant alternative. More recently it has been driving an industry commitment to phase out damaging HFC’s by 2015 through participation in the Consumer Goods Forum.

In markets where the use of such hydrocarbon refrigerants are not possible, due mainly to legislative reasons, an alternative strategy has been pursued of working with stakeholders such as governments and NGOs to bring about regulatory change so greener technologies can be introduced.
*Using a 2008 baseline
**502,108 cars or 217, 611 homes

About Unilever freezer technology
Unilever has been delivering real energy savings over the years. In 2011 the average ice cream cabinet delivered up to 30% energy reductions, in 2014 it is up to 50%. The next stage will offer 70% savings.
The 50% reduction was achieved through improved insulation, high efficiency compressors and LED lighting
Unilever invests to investigate, develop and test new technical routes, in design, insulation and refrigeration such as magneto-caloric refrigeration and solar-powered cabinets for selling ice cream.
Unilever is driving an industry commitment to phase out hydro fluorocarbons (HFCs) by 2015 through its participation in the Consumer Goods Forum and as a founder member of Refrigerants, Naturally! Refrigerants, Naturally! is a multi-stakeholder group that was established in 2004, and is supported by Greenpeace and UNEP. It aims to promote a rapid shift away from the use of HFCs towards natural refrigerants (ammonia and carbon dioxide) and climate-friendly hydrocarbons for refrigerated point-of-sale equipment such as ice cream freezers and vending machines. Between 2010 and 2013, Unilever chaired Refrigerants, Naturally!
For more information on how Unilever and its brands are reducing environmental impact please visit unilever.com/sustainable-living
About the Unilever Sustainable Living Plan

In November 2010, Unilever set out the Unilever Sustainable Living Plan, committing to a ten year journey towards sustainable growth. What makes the Plan different is that it applies right across the value chain. The Plan takes responsibility not just for Unilever’s own direct operations but for suppliers, distributors and for how consumers use its brands.
The Plan has three big goals to reach by 2020:
Help more than 1 billion people improve their health and well-being
Halve the environmental footprint of our products
Source 100% of agricultural raw materials sustainably and enhance the livelihoods of millions of people

Newark, NJ – PSEG Solar Source today announced that it will acquire the ERWR Whitcomb Farm Solar project from juwi solar (JSI). The facility, which will now be known as the PSEG Essex Solar Energy Center, has a 25-year power purchase agreement (PPA) with Vermont Electric Power Producers (VEEP), Inc., as part of the Vermont Sustainably Priced Energy Enterprise Development (SPEED) program. During JSI’s ownership of the project, it advanced the development work previously performed by Encore Redevelopment, Walden Renewables and Whitcomb-Smith Solar.

The PSEG Essex Solar Energy Center is located roughly 4 miles northeast of Burlington, Vermont and has a nameplate capacity of 3.6MWdc. The acquisition will increase PSEG’s Solar Source portfolio to 110 MWdc.

This is PSEG Solar Source’s ninth solar project in eight states, including Arizona, California, Delaware, Florida, New Jersey, Ohio and Texas.
“Our solar plants in operation or in development span the United States from Vermont to California and from Ohio to Florida. We are actively working with a number of developers to acquire additional projects to add to our growing portfolio,” said Diana Drysdale, president of PSEG Solar Source.

JSI is the engineering, procurement and construction contractor for the project and will operate the facility for PSEG Solar Source upon completion. Construction is expected to begin this month and will be completed later this year. When completed, the facility will feature approximately 12,000 solar photovoltaic panels on a fixed-tilt racking system.

“JSI is proud to build our first solar energy facility in Vermont,” noted Michael Martin, president of JSI. “Given its location within the Whitcomb family property, which has continued to be a productive farming operation since its inception in 1867, this project exemplifies the opportunity to complement agricultural land use with renewable energy generation.”

About PSEG:
PSEG Solar Source is a subsidiary of PSEG Power, a merchant power generation company which is part of the Public Service Enterprise Group (PSEG) family of companies. PSEG (NYSE:PEG) is a publicly-traded diversified energy company with annual revenues of $10 billion. Its other main subsidiaries are Public Service Electric and Gas Company (PSE&G), a regulated NJ gas and electric utility and PSEG Long Island.

Disclaimer: PSEG Solar Source LLC is not the same company as PSE&G, the New Jersey based electric and gas utility. PSEG Solar Source is not regulated by the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities. You do not have to purchase any PSEG Solar Source products in order to receive quality regulated services from PSE&G.

About juwi solar Inc.:
juwi solar Inc. (JSI) is a privately-held solar energy generation company based in Boulder, Colorado. JSI’s primary business is the development, design, construction, operation and maintenance of utility-scale (1 MW and larger) solar energy generation facilities in North America. To date JSI has built large-scale solar projects in Arizona, Delaware, Florida, Nevada, New Jersey, North Carolina, Ohio and Texas, totaling more than 100 MWs of operating capacity. JSI also provides operations, monitoring, and maintenance services customized for each solar facility and to each owner’s needs and is currently performing these services for 182 MWs of solar facilities in the United States.

President Obama has launched Power Africa, an innovative private sector-led initiative aimed at doubling electricity access in sub-Saharan Africa, where more than 600 million people currently lack access to electricity. Power Africa set an ambitious initial goal of adding more than 10,000 megawatts (MW) of new, cleaner electricity generation capacity and increasing electricity access by at least 20 million household and business connections.

Today, the President announced a renewed commitment to this initiative, and pledged a new level of $300 million in assistance per year to expand the reach of Power Africa across the continent in pursuit of a new, aggregate goal of 30,000 MW of additional capacity to Africa and increasing electricity access by at least 60 million household and business connections. The President also announced $6 billion in new private sector commitments, bringing the total private sector commitments under Power Africa to date to more than $20 billion. This includes additional commitments under Beyond the Grid, a new sub-initiative, announced at the June 2014 U.S-Africa Energy Ministerial, for fostering private investment in off-grid and small-scale energy solutions that seek to expand access to remote areas across sub-Saharan Africa.

Power Africa: Progress to Date
The U.S. Embassy teams have worked closely with their host governments and private sector partners to facilitate the financial closure of transactions that are expected to generate almost 2,800 megawatts (MW) of electricity, and Power Africa is actively supporting transactions expected to generate an additional 5,000 MW. Once completed, these transactions will represent 78 percent of Power Africa’s initial 10,000 MW goal.

Twelve U.S. government agencies, whose combined capabilities form the backbone of Power Africa, are working closely with African governments to prioritize and address key legal, regulatory and policy constraints to investment, and to implement measures that will sustain growth and enable successful governance of a growing power sector throughout sub-Saharan Africa.

Growing Private Sector Commitments in Support of Power Africa
Private sector commitments to date are on track to meet Power Africa’s initial 10,000 MW goal and leading the path towards achieving the goal of doubling access to electricity in sub-Saharan Africa through private sector-led investments.

Notable transactions undertaken in the first year of the initiative include the ongoing negotiation of Corbetti Geothermal, the first phase of a potential 1,000 MW geothermal generation project and Ethiopia’s first independent power project; advancing nearly 500 MW of wind projects in Kenya; financial support for a 10 MW mini-hydro and a 5 MW solar project in Tanzania; and supporting power sector-wide privatization efforts in Nigeria. Additional efforts include the U.S. African Development Foundation’s (USADF) Off-Grid Challenge.

Leveraging Strategic Partnerships to Maximize Impact

Over the past year, Power Africa has forged strategic partnerships with African governments, multilateral institutions, donors, and the private sector. These partnerships seek to align resources and capabilities, and coordinate our interventions to maximize our impact and accelerate private sector investment in renewable energy.

Although the goals set out by Power Africa are continent wide, the U.S. government signed memoranda of understanding (MOU) with the initial six focus countries, which reflect the strong commitment of African governments to engage in policy and regulatory reform.
The World Bank Group will support Power Africa by committing $5 billion in new technical and financial support, including loans and guarantees, for energy projects in the six initial Power Africa focus countries. This commitment builds on the World Bank’s existing $3.3 billion commitment in the six focus countries and its broader commitment to developing the energy sector in sub-Saharan Africa.
The African Development Bank (AfDB) already announced its support to advance Power Africa as an anchor partner, with an initial commitment of $3 billion. The AfDB has already approved approximately $670 million in support for energy sector operations in the six initial Power Africa countries, and expects to commit an additional $2 billion in support across sub-Saharan Africa over the coming year.
President Obama welcomed the announcement that the Government of Sweden has committed $1 billion to advance Power Africa, including support for transmission and distribution upgrades, and the development of energy projects in sub-Saharan Africa.
Power Africa Transaction–based Model at Work

During the U.S.-Africa Business Forum, a number of new Power Africa transactions and energy sector initiatives were highlighted:

The U.S. Trade and Development Agency (USTDA) in partnership with the U.S. Department of Energy led the African Leaders’ Visit: Energy to Houston, Texas, where African decision makers met with government and industry leaders who highlighted their experience fostering economic growth through strategic investments energy infrastructure development.
The Overseas Private Investment Corporation (OPIC) approved up to $250 million in financing to support the development, construction, and operation of a 310 MW wind power project near Lake Turkana, Kenya.
OPIC also approved up to $50 million in financing for the Azura-Edo power plant, the first independent power producer in Nigeria in 10 years following recent power sector reforms. This project is expected to provide up to 459 MW of much-needed power for Nigeria.
Under the US-Africa Clean Energy Finance Initiative (ACEF), OPIC is supporting the Participatory Microfinance Group for Africa (“PAMIGA”), a network of 15 rural microfinance institutions to expand micro-lending for solar energy and clean water investments for agricultural and household use.
Under ACEF, USTDA funded a study for Amahoro Energy to develop a new run-of-the-river hydropower plant and capacity upgrades at five existing plants, to create 11.45 MW of new generation capacity in Rwanda.
The USADF announced the selection of three awardees through the Liberia Off-Grid Challenge. Each awardee will receive a $100,000 grant for Liberia off-grid projects jointly funded by USADF, GE, and USAID.
The Department of Commerce led an Energy Trade Mission including 19 U.S. companies to Ghana and Nigeria in May 2014, which resulted in the signing of $175 million in energy sector deals.
Ex-Im Bank approved a $17 million loan guarantee for BOAD, the West African Development Bank, to support long-term financing for the expansion of the Azito Power project in Cote d’Ivoire which will increase the plant’s installed capacity by 130 MW, from 290 MW to 420 MW, while reducing the carbon intensity per MW.

Beyond the Grid Initiative
Recognizing that Power Africa cannot achieve energy access goals through the use of large grid extension projects alone, the U.S. government launched Beyond the Grid, a new Power Africa sub-initiative focused exclusively on unlocking investment and growth for off-grid and small-scale energy solutions on the African continent. Beyond the Grid will partner with more than 35 investors and practitioners that have committed to invest more than $1 billion into off-grid and small-scale solutions over the next five years.

Millennium Challenge Corporation Ghana Compact Signing
Secretary Kerry and the President Mahama of Ghana presided over the signing of a Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) Compact through which MCC will invest up to $498 million over the next five years to support the turnaround of Ghana’s electricity sector. This compact represents an example of the catalytic impact of Power Africa interventions, which help create the enabling environment and stimulate private investment in order to meet the current and future needs of households and business while also ensuring inclusive access to power by its citizens, with up to $4 billion in potential commitments already in the pipeline.

U.S.-Africa Clean Energy Finance Initiative
Secretary Kerry announced a second round of funding for ACEF, an innovative partnership launched two years ago among the State Department, OPIC, and USTDA that provides a small amount of early-stage funding to catalyze much larger private sector investment in clean energy projects in Sub-Saharan Africa. To date, ACEF has supported more than 25 projects that have the potential to create hundreds of megawatts of new power generation capacity across ten African countries. The new round of funding will allow this innovative effort to continue to leverage significant clean energy investment in Africa.

Commercial Law Development Program
The Department of Commerce’s Commercial Law Development Program, through funding from USAID, is supporting the development of model legal frameworks, including annotated power purchase agreements, which accelerate the negotiation of renewable energy projects.

Clean Energy Solutions Center
The Department of Energy supported Clean Energy Solutions Center is connecting policymakers in Africa with a global clean energy experts through a web-based platform which aims to help African governments design and adopt policies and programs that support the deployment of clean energy technologies.

Focus on Regional Initiatives to Support Power Trade and Geothermal Development
Through USAID, Power Africa is deploying Regional Transaction Advisors to address issues that cross national borders, including the development of regional power pools and advancing development of East Africa’s 15,000 MW in geothermal potential.

This is courtesy of www.whitehouse.gov

CHARLOTTESVILLE, VA —GE Intelligent Platforms (NYSE: GE) today announced upgrades to the company’s core Automation Software products, Proficy HMI/SCADA – iFIX and Proficy HMI/SCADA – CIMPLICITY, as well as new capabilities that deliver on the promise of the Industrial Internet. Upgrades to the company’s breakthrough Proficy Mobile software solution provide faster response with the right information in context to equipment, location and role.

Proficy Mobile is a proven mobile app with patented secure-by-design technology that requires no development and can be layered on top of existing systems. Upgrades to the solution allow managers to view and execute workflows, and facilitates a tight integration with SCADA systems for faster response on alarms. It also enables easy configuration for geo-intelligence capabilities which can be used now with Google Maps.

With Proficy Mobile Tasks, operators and technicians can develop a dynamic task list with interactive, step-by-step instructions. This capability drives plant teams to the right actions so companies can enforce compliance and quality as well as reduce time and waste. Wherever they are, operators can receive information about upcoming issues and see critical steps that they might need to initiate to prevent that issue from occurring, mitigating the threat of unplanned downtime.

With the solution’s Mobile Notes, managers can easily increase collaboration across teams and augment documentation with the latest changes to system parameters. Operators can enter comments, take and attach pictures, and include KPI details, and then, using filters, retrieve any of that information immediately.

“By using advanced mobile apps such as [Proficy Mobile] on the latest generation of mobile iOS and Android devices, companies can drive efficiencies and reduce downtime with real-time access to operational information,” said Janice Abel, Principal Consultant for ARC Advisory Group in a recent ARC report. “The app is just the beginning of the new industrial revolution with functionality that leverages and builds upon other mobile capabilities.”

PROFICY HMI/SCADA CIMPLICITY 9.0 EXTENDS PROVEN PLATFORM
Based on decades of GE innovation, award winning Proficy* HMI/SCADA — CIMPLICITY precisely monitors and controls every aspect of a company’s SCADA environment, equipment and resources.
Version 9.0 brings a set of new capabilities that enable companies to develop better applications, improve operators’ experience, extend the reach of existing systems, and take advantage of the latest OS and interoperability technologies. Proficy HMI/SCADA – CIMPLICITY 9.0 reduces time to value through richer context allowing users to improve structured databases quickly and easily, enabling Real-time Operation Intelligence (RtOI) providing the right information, anytime, anywhere.

New features of CIMPLICITY 9.0 include improved configuration capabilities, better interaction with new, richer protocols, and an improved operator experience with reduced alarm noise. There is also a new object library and long point names allow 256 characters for building a structured database quickly. GE Intelligent Platforms is also including Proficy Historian for SCADA in the new release.

PROFICY HMI/SCADA iFIX 5.8 SUPPORTS DYNAMIC GRAPHICS RESOLUTION
Building on a track record of success and continual enhancements, the latest release of Proficy HMI/SCADA – iFIX enables companies to drive better analytics and leverage more reliability, flexibility and scalability across the enterprise. This proven real-time information management and SCADA solution includes latest-generation visualization tools and a reliable control engine.
In its newest version, iFIX now supports dynamic resolution for graphics including more efficient rendering and reduced CPU footprint. This capability allows support for deploying iFIX graphics on widescreen monitors, LCD TVs and the ability to move graphics from one resolution to another.

“The Industrial Internet is all about access to information,” said Matthew Wells, GE Intelligent Platforms’ General Manager for Automation Software. “Access to accurate, timely production and process data is critical and that is what these solutions deliver. We leverage the latest technologies and listen to the needs of our customers to make the Industrial Internet real for them and their businesses.”

PORT HARCOURT, NIGERIA—August 4, 2014 —With more industrial facilities using distributed power technologies to ensure a reliable energy supply and increase productivity, GE’s Distributed Power business (NYSE: GE) is supplying Genesis Electricity’s driven project company, GEL Utility Limited, with three 25-megawatt (MW), trailer-mounted, TM2500+ aeroderivative gas turbines to generate uninterrupted power at Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation’s (NNPC) state oil refinery at Port Harcourt, Nigeria.

The installation by GEL Utility Limited of GE’s mobile gas turbines at the Port Harcourt Refining Company (PHRC) facility will ensure the country’s largest oil refinery has the power it needs to overcome chronic grid outages and return to full capacity for refining. Up to now, grid outages have reduced PHRC’s output to 30 percent of its total maximum capacity of 210,000 barrels per day. The outages and other factors have forced Nigeria to import large volumes of refined petroleum products to meet its domestic needs.

To help address these issues, Genesis Electricity Limited, an independent power producer and one of the owners of GEL Utility Limited, signed a 20-year power purchase agreement with NNPC in November 2013 for the installation of GE’s TM2500+ units at the 49-year-old refinery. The TM2500+ gas turbines will provide both the baseload and backup power to support refinery operations. The agreement also includes the future modernization of Nigeria’s other two refineries.

GE, through its Sales & Project Finance (S&PF) group, acted as a catalyst and differentiator to take the project post execution of the power purchase agreement with NNPC to financial close. GE S&PF worked with GEL Utility Ltd, Genesis, Engro Powergen Ltd. (one of the equity holders) and other project participants to structure and arrange the project’s equity, senior and sub-debt. It is the first-ever non-recourse project financing for power plants in Nigeria.

“We are excited to work with GE to deploy their proven TM2500+ gas turbine technology and help Nigeria successfully return the Port Harcourt refinery to full service as quickly as possible,” said Akinwole Omoboriowo II, CEO of Genesis Electricity Limited. “This project was not only important in getting the refinery back into full operation, but also to support Nigeria’s long-term economic interests by achieving optimum refining capacity.”

The three TM2500+ units will enter commercial operation in August 2014, giving PHRC the power it needs to return to full capacity. As a result, Nigeria will be able to drastically reduce its use of imported refined fuel products.

“Our TM2500+ technology’s high-power density and compact footprint make it the perfect solution to address Port Harcourt Refining Company’s fast ramp-up, on-site power requirements while also ensuring the refinery’s long-term viability,” said Lorraine Bolsinger, president and CEO of GE’s Distributed Power business.

In support of local content requirements and reflecting GE’s long-term commitment to promoting workforce development opportunities in countries where the company operates, GE is training local engineers to operate and manage the refinery’s TM2500+ units and also has an in-country service and maintenance workshop to service the units.

GE’s TM2500+ gas turbine is capable of providing ISO-rated 31 MW of fast and reliable on-site generating capacity. The system can be used to provide utilities with a “baseload bridge” to support permanent power installations; backup power to support natural disaster relief efforts; or for plant shutdowns or equipment maintenance. The fuel-flexible system can use either natural gas or liquid-distillate.

“The PHRC refinery project represents GE’s second TM2500+ order in Nigeria. Both projects have been for oil and gas industry projects, illustrating how GE’s distributed power technologies as well as sales and project financing capabilities can help Nigeria and other countries more effectively utilize their domestic energy resources,” said George Njenga, GE’s Distributed Power country leader for sub-Saharan Africa.

GE launched its new Distributed Power business in February 2014, combining three product lines—aeroderivative gas turbines, Jenbacher gas engines and Waukesha gas engines—to better serve the distributed power space and help meet the world’s growing demand for on-site power systems that are easier to finance, faster to install and more efficient and reliable for customers.

GE Power & Water’s Distributed Power business is a leading provider of power equipment, engines and services, focused on power generation at or near the point of use. Distributed Power’s product portfolio includes GE’s aeroderivative gas turbines and reciprocating engines, which generate 100 kilowatts to 100 MW of power for numerous industries globally. Headquartered in Cincinnati, Ohio, Distributed Power employs about 5,000 people around the world.

About GE
GE (NYSE: GE) works on things that matter. The best people and the best technologies taking on the toughest challenges. Finding solutions in energy, health and home, transportation and finance. Building, powering, moving and curing the world. Not just imagining. Doing. GE works. For more information, visit the company’s website at www.ge.com.

About GE in Nigeria
GE has been operating in Nigeria for more than 40 years with businesses spanning across a number of key sectors including aviation, energy, healthcare, power and water and rail transportation. However in the past two years, it has renewed its focus, built new service facilities and employed more people to expand its capabilities. Today, GE’s footprint consists of offices in Lagos and Abuja and over 100 public and private sector customers.

There are over 400 employees in Nigeria. There are service facilities in Port Harcourt and Onne with an annual spend of about $11 million on goods/services, labor, staff welfare and training in 2012. GE has ambitious plans to invest over $1 billion in Nigeria over the next five years to strengthen its local presence in manufacturing and product services. This investment will make Nigeria a regional hub for manufacturing, service and innovation with an improved ability to support a broader range of product lines in power generation as well as oil and gas exploration and production.

About GE Power & Water
GE Power & Water provides customers with a broad array of power generation, energy delivery and water process technologies to solve their challenges locally. Power & Water works in all areas of the energy industry including renewable resources such as wind and solar, biogas and alternative fuels; and coal, oil, natural gas and nuclear energy. The business also develops advanced technologies to help solve the world’s most complex challenges related to water availability and quality. Power & Water’s six business units include Distributed Power, Nuclear Energy, Power Generation Products, Power Generation Services, Renewable Energy and Water & Process Technologies. Headquartered in Schenectady, N.Y., Power & Water is GE’s largest industrial business.

BENTON HARBOR, Mich., — Following the recent introduction of the first ever ENERGY STAR® certified electric dryer1, Whirlpool Corporation (NYSE: WHR) is proud to announce the next step in its commitment to sustainability and energy efficiency with its newest innovation in dryer technology. The new Whirlpool® HybridCare™ clothes dryer WED99HED with Hybrid Heat Pump technology is designed to regenerate energy during the drying cycle to reduce energy consumption while providing dryer speed and performance flexibility.

The new Whirlpool(R) HybridCare(TM) clothes dryer with Hybrid Heat Pump technology.
Compared to typical dryers that use large amounts of energy in the form of venting hot, moist air, the Whirlpool brand HybridCare™ dryer is a ventless heat pump dryer that uses a refrigeration system to dry and recycle the same air.

HybridCare™ technology uses advanced sensors tuned to manage energy consumption and temperature to deliver drying performance and energy savings. The three available modes allow flexibility while providing great drying results:

Speed mode – used when consumer focus is on managing time
Eco mode – used when optimizing energy is the priority
Balanced mode – blends the performance of Speed and Eco
“Whirlpool Corporation is at the forefront of residential energy efficiency gains in clothes dryers,” said Chris Ball, General Manager of the Laundry category for Whirlpool North America. “Our progress in developing new technologies that combine to create highly energy-efficient drying cycles, while offering better fabric care, demonstrates our commitment to offering consumers the most innovative and effective products for their home.”

Whirlpool Corporation is collaborating with organizations including the Northwest Energy Efficiency Alliance (NEEA), an alliance of more than 140 Northwest utilities and energy efficiency organizations, in support of its efforts to mobilize the market toward energy efficiency. Through this relationship, Whirlpool and NEEA work to make the greatest long-term impact on the marketplace through the adoption of energy-efficient products, like the HybridCare™ dryer.

HybridCare™ technology has the capability to use less heat than vented dryers. The ventless dryer technology will allow consumers in North America to reduce their carbon footprint and the estimated $4B in wasted energy attributed to dryers 2.

As a ventless technology, HybridCare™ does not require an outside vent, allowing the consumer to install it in more locations throughout the home. The HybridCare™ technology dryer will also match select front load washers of the currently available Duet series, making it a logical choice for consumers desiring greater levels of energy savings.

Whirlpool will begin shipping units to select U.S. markets in Q4 2014. It will expand to other U.S. markets and Canada in early 2015, generating excitement among some major utilities. “Whirlpool Corporation has been a great partner with us as we work together to advance dryer energy efficiency. Dryers are the next frontier for significant energy savings in the home, and innovations like the heat pump dryer are a key technology to unlocking these savings,” said Jeff Harris, Director, Technology and Market Strategy, NEEA.

Whirlpool Corporation’s full sustainability strategy engages nearly every aspect of its business, from materials and processes, to product technologies and end-of-life recycling, all aimed at a more sustainable future. Whirlpool Corporation believes in improving lives, one home, one family at a time through innovative, world-class products and services. When it comes to sustainability, Whirlpool works to satisfy its consumers, protect the environment, nurture its communities and embed sustainability into its products and processes while driving extraordinary value and enhancing reputation.

About Whirlpool Corporation

Whirlpool Corporation is the world’s leading global manufacturer and marketer of major home appliances, with annual sales of approximately $19 billion in 2013, 69,000 employees, and 59 manufacturing and technology research centers around the world. The company markets Whirlpool, Maytag, KitchenAid, Jenn-Air, Amana, Brastemp, Consul, Bauknecht and other major brand names. We earn the trust of consumers in nearly every country by focusing on what matters most. Additional information about the company can be found at http://www.whirlpoolcorp.com.

CLEVELAND – Sherwin-Williams Protective and Marine Coatings has launched a trio of next-generation polyaspartic urethanes combining high throughput, superior appearance and durability with ease of workability for applicators in one protective coating line. EnviroLastic® 840 DTM, 940 DTM and 980 PA address the most common challenges facing shop and field coating contractors, with each system suited to varying conditions.

“EnviroLastic polyaspartic coating systems are engineered to provide improved levels of efficiency, allowing accelerated throughput not previously imaginable, especially in various atmospheric conditions,” said Narsi Bodapati, vice president of marketing, Sherwin-Williams Protective and Marine Coatings. “When time is your money, or your customer is depending on you to keep a project on schedule and still deliver performance, durability and good looks under all kinds of atmospheric conditions, EnviroLastic polyaspartics can provide a solution tailored just for you.”

According to Bodapati, because few factors have a greater impact on productivity than the speed of drying and the number of coats required for exterior coating applications, the EnviroLastic line’s performance foundation is high throughput.

“The protective coatings industry is always challenged to keep not only its own deadlines, but also to assure that the entire chain meets or exceeds finished product expectations,” said Bodapati. “EnviroLastic products hold up this end of the bargain, and build from there with additional value in long-term performance and aesthetics.”

EnviroLastic 840 DTM is a thin film direct-to-metal shop coating that dries to the touch in 20 minutes, virtually eliminating grit pickup; tolerates exposure to dew and precipitation; and has a distinctness-of-image factor that reflects a mirror-like appearance in the high-gloss finish coat. Its uses include high throughput shop applications including frac tanks, production equipment, structural steel, rail cars and sign structures.

EnviroLastic 940 DTM is a high build direct-to-metal coating with superior gloss and color retention. The early moisture-tolerant coating delivers epoxy-polyurethane performance in just one coat, and can be applied in temperatures as low as 35 F and at significantly lower applied cost than a conventional two-coat system. Its uses include bridge projects, production tanks, steel fabrication, other structural steel, commercial and architectural applications.

EnviroLastic 980 PA is a premium, high build finish coat with long lasting durability and corrosion protection. Over a zinc-rich primer, performance requirements can be readily achieved without the intermediate coat that has been the industry standard for decades. The coating dries to touch in 30 minutes, virtually eliminating grit and dust pick up; can be put into service in two days; and has an extended three-month recoat window. Together these features are the answer to coating applicators’ dreams on large maintenance projects where productivity is prized and rewarded. Its uses include bridges, stadiums and other high-visibility structures, as well as plant, refinery and offshore equipment and piping.

Sherwin-Williams is a global protective and marine coatings company that delivers smarter asset protection and unmatched service and specification support to its customers from 4,000 locations worldwide. From alkyds to zincs, the company offers a complete line of time-tested, high performance coatings and systems to combat corrosion, supported by the largest group of NACE-certified coatings inspectors in the industry. With more than 140 years in business and a culture of product innovation, Sherwin-Williams today is the single source of supply for coatings solutions made to your specifications and delivered on time, every time.

MOLINE, Illinois (July 11, 2014) — The new Ultimate Uptime customizable customer support solution from John Deere is designed to improve customers’ profitability by maximizing productivity and uptime while lowering operating costs. Ultimate Uptime – featuring John Deere ForestSight™ – is fully customizable to every customer and is delivered exclusively by John Deere dealers.

“When we ask customers what they want from us, we hear one answer more than any other: and that is uptime,” said Robert Burnett, Product Manager, Service Marketing, John Deere Construction & Forestry. “Downtime hinders productivity and reduces their profitability. We created Ultimate Uptime to keep their fleet running and productivity high,”

Ultimate Uptime’s standard features include the exclusive capabilities of John Deere ForestSight that tell customers and the dealer what a machine needs to optimize uptime, but Ultimate Uptime doesn’t end there. After thoroughly understanding a customer’s needs, a dealer can suggest additional services and create a customized solution that optimizes their uptime based on the needs of their business.

The Ultimate Uptime Base Package, included with all John Deere forestry machines, includes pre-delivery set-up and follow-up inspections, along with three to five years of John Deere ForestSight’s uptime optimization benefits.

The defining component of Ultimate Uptime, John Deere ForestSight includes:

JDLink™ Ultimate telematics, which provides customers and dealers machine hours, location, geofencing, diagnostic trouble codes and maintenance tracking.
A John Deere exclusive, machine health prognostics analyzes data from JDLink, fluid analysis, and machine inspections, and then e-mails the dealer and customer with recommended solutions to avoid costly downtime.
Also a John Deere exclusive, remote diagnostics and programming enables dealers to read and reset diagnostic trouble codes, record machine performance data, and even update software without a technician visit to the jobsite. When service visits are required, technicians can often arrive with the right parts in hand to make the repair.

Beyond the Base Package, dealers can customize premium packages depending on the customer’s precise needs. Premium packages may include extended warranties, planned maintenance agreements, fluid sampling, filter kits, loaner machines, on-site spare parts and other solutions. Additional Ultimate Uptime solutions can be financed with the machine or through revolving credit options. John Deere Financial has a full menu of customized business solutions to meet customers’ cash flow needs.

“Every logger has different needs and challenges that they deal with,” said Burnett. “Beyond our exclusive, technology-driven features our customers get with Ultimate Uptime, their John Deere dealer can build in additional custom solutions to meet their exact business needs.”

For more information about Ultimate Uptime featuring John Deere ForestSight, visit JohnDeere.com/ForestryUptime or contact your local dealer.

About Deere & Company

Deere & Company (NYSE: DE) is a world leader in providing advanced products and services and is committed to the success of customers whose work is linked to the land – those who cultivate, harvest, transform, enrich and build upon the land to meet the world’s dramatically increasing need for food, fuel, shelter and infrastructure. Since 1837, John Deere has delivered innovative products of superior quality built on a tradition of integrity. For more information, visit John Deere at www.JohnDeere.com.

In a July 10 opinion article headlined, “Congress must move on the Highway Trust Fund,” Caterpillar Chairman and CEO Doug Oberhelman outlined the risks to U.S. competitiveness if Washington’s leaders can’t fix short and long term infrastructure funding issues.

“American companies implement just-in-time inventory and on-demand supply chains. We produce vehicles and machines with greater fuel efficiency and lower carbon emissions. We lead the world in innovation, inventing better products and better processes,” Oberhelman wrote. “We unleash all this creativity, and then are constrained by inefficient infrastructure, much of which was built when cars still drove with leaded gas.

“Imagine if we didn’t have such inefficiency. Imagine if we didn’t have congestion delays, indirect routes and the higher costs they bring. Imagine if the United States planned and implemented a 21st century transportation system that creates jobs and growth, and ensures the United States remains the economic envy of the world. A similar vision motivated the White House and Congress to find a solution in the 20th Century, and should be enough to motivate them again now.”

Doug joined other business leaders and Vice President Joe Biden at a meeting held by the White House Business Council at the Eisenhower Executive Office Building on July 9. At the meeting, Doug spoke as part of a panel with U.S. Secretary of Transportation Anthony Foxx to urge policymakers to pass legislation before money runs out of the Highway Trust Fund and MAP-21 authorization expires.
Caterpillar is also a founding member of the Alliance for American Competitiveness, a group of leading U.S. companies that rely on an integrated, efficient and effective transportation system for their businesses. The Alliance is actively working to ensure that an effective and long-term solution can be reached to fund U.S. infrastructure needs.

Megalim Solar Power Ltd (Megalim) – a special purpose company formed by Alstom (25.05%), BrightSource (25.05%), and NOY Infrastructure & Energy Investment Fund (49,9%) – obtained the financing of the European Investment Bank and the Bank Hapoalim for the construction and operation of the Ashalim Thermal Solar Power Station in Israel. This key milestone follows the signature of a Power Purchase Agreement between Megalim and the State of Israel in November 2013. It will allow to start the construction works of Ashalim – which will employ about 1,000 people during this phase – and is scheduled to be completed in early 2017. Alstom’s share in the contract is worth approximately 450 million euros[1].

For this project, Alstom will be responsible for the engineering, the procurement and the construction (EPC) of the solar power station and will also provide full operations and maintenance (O&M) activities for a period of 25 years. BrightSource will bring heliostats and optical concentrating devices for Ashalim. The project will thus combine Alstom’s experience in the field of turnkey power plants and key power equipment, such as steam turbines and solar receiver steam generators, with BrightSource’s advanced solar field technology.

“The project is a further step in our partnership with BrightSource and our first success together in the solar thermal power market. It paves the way to provide cost-efficient and reliable carbon-free power to our customers ” said Jérôme Pécresse, Alstom Renewable Power President. “This project reinforces solar thermal power’s position in Alstom’s strategy, as the desert and the sun can support sustainable growth ”.

“The use of BrightSource’s proprietary technology at Ashalim reflects the growing interest in international markets for power that is clean, cost competitive and reliable, and the continual evolution of BrightSource technology strategy ”, explained David Ramm, BrightSource Chairman and CEO. “As a global supplier of solar tower technology solutions, BrightSource is positioned to tap into growing renewable energy demand from governments and utilities around the world. This is the first in what we expect will be a number of strategic partnerships with Alstom to leverage the expertise of both firms ”.

Ashalim will make use of BrightSource’s concentrating solar power (CSP) tower technology similar to that used at the Ivanpah project in Southern California. More than 50,000 computer-controlled heliostats or mirrors will track the sun in two axes and reflect sunlight to a boiler on a 240-meter tower. When the concentrated sunlight strikes the boiler, it heats water in the boiler to create superheated steam. This high-temperature steam is then piped from the boiler to a steam turbine-generator to produce electricity.

Located on a 3.15 square km (1.22 square miles) in the Negev desert, the Ashalim 121 MW solar plant will generate enough power to meet the electricity needs of more than 120,000 homes.

“It is an honor to take part in the Megalim project and further support the development of the South of Israel region as well as the growth of the renewable energy sector here”, explained Ran Shelach and Gil-ad Boshwitz, NOY Fund’s managing partners. “This investment has a strategic importance within the Fund’s Energy portfolio which thinks highly of its partners’ capabilities and considers them potential strategic partners for future investments in Israel and abroad.”

About BrightSource
BrightSource Energy, Inc. provides the world’s premier solar field technology for concentrating solar power systems to deliver reliable clean energy to utilities and industrial companies. For more information on BrightSource Energy please visit www.BrightSourceEnergy.com.

About Alstom
Alstom is a global leader in the world of power generation, power transmission and rail infrastructure and sets the benchmark for innovative and environmentally friendly technologies. Alstom builds the fastest train and the highest capacity automated metro in the world, provides turnkey integrated power plant solutions and associated services for a wide variety of energy sources, including hydro, nuclear, gas, coal and wind, and it offers a wide range of solutions for power transmission, with a focus on smart grids. The Group employs 93,000 people in around 100 countries. It had sales of over €20 billion and booked €21.5 billion in orders in 2013/14.

About Noy Infrastructure and Energy Fund
NOY Fund was established in 2011 and is engaged in investment in companies and projects in Israel and abroad in the fields of infrastructure and energy. Noy Fund focuses on generating sustainable cash flow and long term capital gains from investments in infrastructure and energy projects in Israel and abroad. The Fund’s existing portfolio includes motorways, renewable energy, transportation and other large scale BOT projects. The fund’s capital investors include the majority of Israel’s leading financial institutions.